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| Jude Bellingham |
Despite a lackluster performance, England secured their place in the last 16 of Euro 2024 as group winners after a goalless draw against Slovenia.
The Three Lions, already assured of advancement, faced boos from the crowd in Cologne and are likely to encounter further criticism following underwhelming performances in their previous matches against Serbia and Denmark. England will have to wait until Wednesday's final group games to determine which of the four best third-placed teams they will face in the next round.
The draw has raised further doubts about England's ability to end their 58-year wait for major tournament glory. Despite a star-studded forward line, Slovenia managed to stifle England's attack. Gareth Southgate made a statement by largely sticking with his initial lineup, making just one change: Conor Gallagher replaced Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Southgate’s decision to show faith in the same core group from the first two matches did not yield the desired reaction. Slovenia, now nine games unbeaten, including a 2-0 victory over Portugal in a pre-tournament friendly, posed significant challenges. Declan Rice had earlier identified Benjamin Sesko as Slovenia’s primary threat.
Sesko, who recently extended his contract with RB Leipzig despite interest from Arsenal, started the game despite a thigh injury. He had the first chance of the match, heading weakly at Jordan Pickford four minutes in. It took England 20 minutes to mount a serious threat, and they were denied a slick opening goal by an offside flag.
England's lack of creativity and clinical finishing continues to be a concern as they head into the knockout stages. The pressure mounts on Southgate and his squad to find solutions and justify their status as one of the tournament favorites.
England’s Struggles Persist in Draw Against Slovenia
England’s continued issues in Euro 2024 were highlighted in their goalless draw against Slovenia, a match that saw the Three Lions secure top spot in their group but fail to silence critics. Phil Foden was picked out by Declan Rice, but the Manchester City midfielder was offside before squaring the ball to Bukayo Saka for a disallowed goal.
The left side of England's attack, previously identified as a weakness against Serbia and Denmark, remained problematic. Newcastle’s Kieran Trippier, filling in for the unfit Luke Shaw, tried to compensate, while Foden often drifted inside. Despite this, it was Trippier’s cross from the left that almost resulted in a goal, narrowly missing Conor Gallagher and Harry Kane at the back post.
Manager Gareth Southgate made changes at halftime, bringing on 19-year-old Kobbie Mainoo for Gallagher. Mainoo injected some much-needed energy into the midfield, but England still struggled to convert their possession into clear chances. Kane had a header cleared by Benjamin Sesko from a corner, and Rice missed the target with a shot from the edge of the box.
In the final 20 minutes, Southgate introduced Cole Palmer, giving the Chelsea midfielder his first minutes of the tournament. Palmer, who netted 26 goals at club level this season, managed England's only shot on target in the second half, but it was easily saved by veteran goalkeeper Jan Oblak.
Slovenia celebrated the draw as it secured their progression as one of the best third-placed teams, thanks to three draws in their group games. Matjaz Kek’s squad narrowly missed out on second place due to Denmark’s superior qualifying record, despite having identical points, goal difference, and goals scored.
England, meanwhile, will need to address their attacking deficiencies as they prepare for the knockout stages, with mounting pressure on Southgate and his team to deliver.
